


Life Day That Ends With a Bang

by MortisBane



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Gift Exchange, Life day, M/M, from the recent interview
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 13:26:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12936240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MortisBane/pseuds/MortisBane
Summary: Hux and Kylo get a surprise for Life Day.Based on the recent Interview from the Star Wars Show."Secret Santa, and Hux pulls Kylo's name what do you get him?""A grenade."





	Life Day That Ends With a Bang

Hux never cared for Life Day.  His father never bothered with it, and with all the time he needed to dedicate to the future stormtrooper program, Hux himself never felt it was important.  A time long past, he recalled Grand Admiral Rae Sloane mentioning it, to his father, whilst he hid away eavesdropping as young children do.  But it amounted to nothing.  Him and the other children aboard the  _ Imperialis _ never experienced the silly holiday.

However, in light of the defection of FN-2187 and the loss of so many troopers in the destruction of Starkiller, Hux needed a way to raise moral.  He had held a meeting amongst the highest ranking officers under him, and Captain Phasma, of course, to find a way to keep more defections from happening.  Every trooper was sent for reconditioning, that was the first thing they did after retreating towards the unknown region, which itself had taken months.  But they needed something to spark more loyalty, when looking at a possibly flawed system, not that Hux would ever admit to their being any flaw at all.

After nearly three hours of arguments and terrible ideas, it was Phasma who suggested Life Day.  Odd as it was, the planet they found her on must have had a similar custom, it was the best option they had.  A sense of togetherness and unity amongst the ranks.  And with the actual celebration not too far off on the galactic calendar, the preparations began.  As much funding as they could spare, and an oddly generous donation from the Supreme Leader, Hux didn’t want to know how that shriveled alien managed to get credits, purchases were made and preparations began.  Real food was acquired for a proper meal, instead of meal rations, the Supreme Leader allowing some of his servants away to help cook.  

It was deemed that the troopers, with no real money to speak of would just attend the celebration, however any ranking officer was given the task of exchanging some sort of gift with another of equal rank.  Which would have been all fine and good for Hux, until he realized the only person, of equal rank with him, in the entire First Order, was Kylo Ren.  Honestly, sharing a rank with a man child like Ren, no matter on what technicality, was an embarrassment to both himself and the Order.  He does nothing to truly help them, only ever concerned with his and his Knight’s own agenda, but since he was the Supreme Leader’s favorite brat, he was given everything he could possibly never even want.  But if this event were to have its desired effect, he would have to play along.  But there isn’t a thing he could possibly get for the man.  Hux has seen his quarters, extremely sparse, simply plain bed, nothing at all of personal nature, except his morbid shrine to Darth Vader.  It was impossible to see if Ren truly enjoyed anything.

Hux sat at his office desk, hunched over three different data pads, shifting between paperwork from the aftermath of Starkiller, finalizations of the Life Day celebration, and surfing the holonet in search of something half decent for Ren.  Truly Kylo Ren didn’t even deserve anything from him at all.  Except maybe a trip to the airlock, or maybe being exploded to bits…  He sat up suddenly, mind focusing on that.  Exploded.  Wouldn’t that be a fitting present for Ren, a literal explosion to the face.  The more he thought on the idea the more it appealed to him.  He could fulfil his unnecessary duty, while also teaching Ren a bit of a lesson.  Like payback for his own failure at Starkiller.  The proper explosion Hux would have loved to leave him to.

His mind was made up.  A thermal detonator would be the best gift for Kylo Ren.  With a bit of extra searching on the holonet, he found a way to modify one to be less impactful.  So he wouldn't be killed, Hux didn’t want to come under the Supreme Leader’s wrath for killing his pet, and so that his ship wouldn’t be damaged most importantly.  Ren did that enough in his free time.  After the night was through, Kylo Ren’s  _ present _ was finished and wrapped neatly inside of a small box.

Just a few weeks later and the day had come.  The hanger and mess had been decorated to hold the celebrations neatly and the  _ party _ finally began.  It was mostly just each squadron of Stormtroopers sticking together, as the only other’s they knew, and small groups of officers distributed amongst them.  All troopers were allowed to be in their leisure wear without helmets.  The only one who chose not to do so was Phasma.  Which Hux understood, he knew she felt most comfortable armoured and obscured by mask, must have been something from that planet she grew up on.  Ren arrived late, as Hux figured, in all his strange robes and leather, but without his mask, which Hux supposed was good for the troops.  His eyes focused in on that scar bisecting his face, holding back a smirk at the reminder of his own downfall.

He watched as Ren looked around the crowed, made a beeline for Phasma, spoke with her for a few minutes, occasionally scanning the crowd again.  Hux swirled the glass in his hand before taking a long sip, he brought his own personal beverage, hidden in his greatcoat pocket.  He would need as much dulling as he could get to finish this night.  And with the only allowed beverages provided being non-alcoholic, he needed his own.  However the celebrations were far more subdued than Hux thought they would have been, not that he was complaining.

“Nice job General.”  He barely kept himself from flinching at the sudden voice to his right.  He hated how strangely quiet Ren could move and inadvertently sneak up on others.

“Strangely kind of you Ren.”  He responded, taking another drink from his glass.  “But you should know, Hux’s never half do anything.”  Ren nodded shallowly, turning away from him to stand shoulder to shoulder.

“Well, I just assumed you didn’t even celebrate Life Day.”

“I don’t, never have.  But this is for the best of the Order, so I will simply bite the bullet so we can move forward stronger.”

“Please don’t delve into one of your speeches.”  He joked, a half smile playing on his lips.  Hux didn’t even know Ren was even capable of humor.

“Perhaps if you beg, I’ll consider spearing you.”  The joking retort came strangely smoothly.

“You wish General.”  They lapsed into a strangely tranquil silence.

“What of you, Ren?  Is Life Day a thing from your own past?”  He felt the calm air around them change suddenly.

“No, not of my past.”  The answer was terse and clipped, clearly Hux knew better than to pry with that.

“Oh don’t start pouting this early, Ren.”  He sighed with a roll of his eyes.  “Here, have some of this and relax for once,”  He passed the glass into Ren’s hand, which grabbed it seemingly on reflex.

“I don’t dr-”

“Then maybe start.”  Ren looked between Hux and the glass, and slowly brought it up to his lips.  Which had no right being that full.  He took a small sip, his entire face immediately scrunching up.  Sputtering he tore the offending liquid away from his face back into Hux’s hands.  Hux couldn’t help but laugh, didn’t even bother fighting it.

“That is rancid.”  Ren huffed, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

“It’s an aquired taste of mature gentlemen.”  Hux took a long sip, as to prove his point.

“More like of masochists.”  Hux didn’t answer that.

“Enjoying the celebrations thus far?”  he chose deciding to change subjects on him.

“I suppose, these sorts of things aren’t to my taste.”  Hux nodded.  “In fact, I’d rather like to return to my quarters soon so-”  He reached into the folds of his robes, pulling out a slim box wrapped neatly in dark wrapping paper.  Holding it in his hands gently, he examined it once more, thinking before handing it over to Hux.  It was very nice looking, black paper with red ribbon, very much with First Order aesthetics.

“Wow, much nicer than I thought you able, Ren.”  He inspected the neatness, rather liking the look.

“Well, perhaps I don’t do anything half way either.”  Hux nodded at him, pulling his eyes away from the gift.

“Well then, I should finish the exchange.”  He reached into his larger pocket, pulling out the small box, passing it off to Ren.  He had set the timer before leaving his quarters this evening, and set it to go off later on in the sleep cycle, hopefully when Ren goes about opening the gift.  He didn’t put nearly as much effort into the look of the present as Ren did, but he still looked in awe of it for some reason.

“What Ren, though I wouldn’t partake in my own responsibility?”  He was looking down at the box in his hands, took a moment before he bothered to answer.

“No I just, it’s a strange feeling, the fact you actually did.”  Hux rolled his eyes at him.

“Oh don’t be so dramatic.”  The shuffling of paper drew Hux’s attention back over to Ren, who was trying to open the thing.  “Oi!”  He shouted, hand snapping out and grabbing one of Ren’s, only then realizing they were both without gloves.  His hand was very warm, and calloused, Hux sort of liked the feel of it under his fingertips.  “What do you think you’re doing?!  You are not meant to open it until tonight.”

“And why is that?”  He asked softly, staring down at Hux’s hand.  He withdrew it shortly after.

“Is it not tradition?”  Ren sighed beside him, halting his hands finally.

“Fine.”

“And don’t leave just yet, this is to boost moral, we need our Master of the Knight’s of Ren present.”  Hux rolled his eyes, not bothering to hide his sarcasm.  He didn’t say anything for a moment, still staring down at the present.

“Fine.”

The rest of the celebration went fine.  Hux spoke with each of the officers present, Phasma, and the occasional trooper, this  _ was _ for their loyalty.  By the end of the night, Hux was through with every bit of this socializing.  He was ready to turn in for the night, and return to the normal protocol tomorrow.  Phasma offered to stay back and clean up with some of the more excited troopers, and Hux took his chance.  Retiring to his quarters, he placed his glass on his coffee table, removed his boots leaving them neatly by the door, and moved to remove his coat.  His fingers caught on something solid trapped in his pocket.  He completely forgot about Ren’s present.  Hanging up the coat neatly, he fished the slim box from the pocket and inspected it again.  He was still a bit shocked with the effort Ren put into this simple gift.  Hux was oddly, flattered.  He sat down on his ice blue sofa, tearing at the taped edges of the paper, tearing it off keeping as much of it in tact as he could.  It was a white box with a lid, and upon removing it, Hux was a bit surprised.  It was three pairs of long socks.  Two pairs of plain black socks, and a third colorful pair.  They were black with red, and upon the top were stitched in Death Stars.  They were utterly ridiculous, but nonetheless, he found them somehow...endearing.  The gift was strangely sweet, especially coming from Ren.  He half expected a severed hand, or a box full of ashes.  But socks, simple, practical, and nice to receive.  Hux really underestimated Kylo this time-.  His room shook suddenly, very faintly, the boom of an explosion traveling down the halls.  Checking the closest crono, Hux smiled to himself.

“HUX!”


End file.
